Peace For My Tattered Hope
by The Soft Smell of Rain
Summary: My third one-shot following the episode 3x9 Homecoming. Elena finds Damon in a bad condition the day after their unsuccessful attempt at killing Klaus and reaches out to help him.


Hello everyone!

Here is a new one-shot for you, set the day after 3x9 Homecoming:)

This is sort of a meltdown of two of my other stories following the happenings of Homecoming. Had to many ideas to fit everyone in one one-shot so chose to write three seperate one's (at least;)).

Hope you will enjoy, and please make my creativity bloom with plenty of inspirational reviews:)

Please read, enjoy and review:)

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters in this story. Only the plot is mine.

* * *

><p>Elena was frozen in the act of entering the Boarding House parlour. Her wide eyes moved slowly from the left to the right wall, observing the damages produced by the storm of an undoubtedly troubled soul. Damon was standing in the middle of the inferno of broken furniture and shattered glass. His front facing the blazing fire in the hearth and his hand tightly clutching the slim neck of a bottle containing denial and suppression in the luscious form of liquid amber.<p>

Elena felt her heart fall in her chest as she watched the scene in front of her with a feeling of sadness and desperation pulling at her heartstrings, making her eyes glaze over and her body go tense with emotion. Her mind knew where his was, she had been there herself, a place of nagging guilt and heartless self-destruction. She knew how his mind was violated by thoughts of the failure the previous day. How his tired head would beg for beautiful lies to suppress the truth, lies to secure some rest, followed by a new attack of the emotions tried to denied in the first place.

"Damon?" she addressed his tense form quietly, forcing her voice steady, but feeling as well as hearing the desperation lacing the single word.

Damon turned to her slowly, clearly in no surprise of her presence, still no words of welcome or flirty comment concerning her appearance in his home left his lips. His eyes, avoiding the weight of hers, was dark, faded with the imminent feeling of defeat. She examined his features as he attached the bottle to his lips, gracious neck leaning back to let the sharp liquid burn his throat and sooth his turbulent mind. Her eyes took in his rumpled appearance, the messy dark hair caressing his forehead and clouding his eyes, the open shirt that rested carelessly on his shoulders, the tenseness of features the toxic of his liquid cuisine couldn't completely chase away. Her heart ached of the lack of determination, the lack of mischief, the lack of the man she had come to know.

She carefully walked closer, avoiding with caution the rampage of broken wood and glass that coloured the floor. Her own mind, tired to the point of exhaustion with the deficiency of rest, knew she had to find the strength to pull him from his deep pool of self-hatred and guilt. She felt a deep need to sooth, to care for, to save, but lacking the knowledge to confidently pursue her desire.

"You should leave Elena. I'm in no mood for entertaining pretty little girls tonight", he said huskily, his voice coloured by the alcohol laced in his blood, and a faint hint of pain and helplessness he refused to acquaint her with.

Elena carefully closed the space between them, tentatively reaching out and touching his arm with her fingertips, trying to communicate her compassion and self-recognition in his fragile state.

"I'm not leaving you like this Damon. You have to trust me when I say everything is going to be fine. We will survive this as we always do. You just have to believe that everything is going to work out", she said softly, fighting to keep her voice strong and steady, while her insides stormed with expanding emotions.

His features darkened with her well-meant words, and his face had the mask of a wild animal as he fully faced her and captured her shoulders in a bruising grip.

"How dare you say everything is going to be fine. You can delude your own pretty little mind all you want , but don't try to taint mine with your beautiful lies. Nothing is fine and nothing is ever going to be fine in this utterly dark world", he snarled in her face, his eyes dark with pain and shattered hope he desperately tried to hide from her view.

"Damon, I…", Elena started to respond, words fluttering in her head, but none of them close enough for her to catch, leaving her silent and frustrated to the brink of tears.

She could see the dark eyes locked on hers softened a bit at the sight of the moistness surrounding her own. Her hand reached up on its own violation to touch his handsome face, wanting to brush away the tenseness and pain from his furrowed brow, but stopped in the act when his mask of cold exterior fell back in place, once again concealing his thru self.

"Leave. Now", he said close to her face, his voice lacking the threat anyone else would have received, but holding such a seriousness she knew she was defeated.

She turned around to hide the tears leaking from her sore eyes, and walked slowly towards the hallway, resisting the urge to look back before she reached the far end of the room. When her eyes finally travelled back to utter a silent goodbye, she didn't meet the eyes of a animal, nor the cold gaze of indifference, she met the eyes of a man fallen to his knees, forced to buck down under the pressure of his own feeling of inadequacy. Her heart broke at the sight.

His eyes was turned to the floor as she approached his crumpled frame. She stopped before him, waiting patiently while he slowly lifted his head to meet her gaze.

"I'm sorry", he said silently, watching her with pleading eyes, tattered hope for love and understanding floating in his stormy ocean eyes.

She let out a deep sigh, feeling relief slowly fill her troubled mind and comfort her tired head. Her hand reached for his face, stroking him gently, feeling him leaning in to rest his forehead carefully against her stomach. Her hands lace in his hair and holds him close, feeling his arms tentatively wrap around her waist to anchor her to his broken self.

Slowly, she slides down to his level, capturing his eyes to silently offer her support and compassion. He leans his head on her shoulder, silently accepting her offer, sharing his vulnerability with her. Elena is to amazed at Damon's quite surrender to notice the shard of glass that has penetrated the smooth skin of her palm, sweet blood leaking from the wound and colouring her olive skin.

Damon raises his head in confusion and gently grabs her hand, his inhuman senses aroused by the sweet scent of her mortal blood. He sighs and is about to leave the floor when she stops him with a gentle hand on his arm, coaxing him to stay. Her head is a kaleidoscope of different emotions, but her previous desire to sooth, to care for and comfort is burning clearly in her mind, her thoughts made up the moment their gazes reconnect.

"Here", she whispers silently, offering her bleeding hand with determination and affection shining in her steady gaze.

His eyes are wide and questioning as he gently holds her injured hand in his own, his features showing uncertainty and disbelieve, mixed with a hope so deep and pure she is mesmerized by the sight.

"I trust you", she whispers quietly, reassuring him with her steady gaze.

His eyes settles on her hand, his head slowly bending down, kissing her wrist gently before his lips carefully seals her wound. The sensation of the intimacy accompanying the act envelopes her and is overpowering her mind with pleasure and a deep feeling of contentment. She rest her head on his strong shoulder and let herself get lost in the moment.

"Thank you", he whispers against her soft skin, the gratitude deep and honest and concerning so much more than the simple gift of her life sustaining liquid.

"Your welcome", she whispers back, feeling his warm arms close around her waist and bring her closer while he drinks her gently.

Her mind has finally found rest, wrapped protectively around the broken soul of the man she has come to love.

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading:) Please remember to review:)<p> 


End file.
